Balmoral to Middle Head Forts

This walk to the Middle Head fortifications is a great way to break up your day at the beach. There are plenty of places to explore, and the forts are quite interesting and historically significant. The track is well marked and has some information signs. The views of Sydney Harbour are great and it is well worth carrying a picnic lunch to allow more time to enjoy North Head.

Hard track

From the intersection, this walk heads away from the car park and beach to pass ‘1st Balmoral Sea Scouts’ and a childcare centre, on the left. The walk then continues along the footpath outside of the oval to a signposted intersection.Turn left: From the intersection, this walk heads away from the oval, across a bridge. The walk then climbs a few flights of stairs to enter a fenced area with many signs. This walk continues for some time up stairs to turn right, through the fence and continues up stairs to the intersection with Middle Head Rd.

Moderate track

Turn left: From the intersection, this walk heads down the road towards the fence, away from the houses. The road tends right as it comes into HMAS Penguin. The walk continues along Middle Head Rd to the intersection with Chowder Bay Rd, opposite the oval.

Moderate track

Turn right: From the intersection of Chowder Bay and Middle Head Rd, this walk heads down through the car park to the far end, where there are signs. The walk heads along the fenceline passing the Sydney Harbour NP sign. The fencline is followed as it tends right, coming to a gate.Veer left: From the intersection, this walk heads through the gate, keeping the view of the water to the right of the track. Note that if the gate is closed, visitors can walk around the right-hand side of the fence. The walk then follows the fenceline, (on the left of the track), to then continue up a small hill along the fenceline and to a short stone wall. The walk continues over the stone wall to the fork in the road.

(1.6km) Int. Old Fort and Govenors Rds → Old Fort Road gun brackets

220 m

4 mins

2m

-4m

Easy track

Veer right: From the intersection, this walk heads gently uphill along the signposted and asphalt ‘Old Fort Rd’[1], initially keeping the toilet to the right

and ‘Barracks No.1’[2] to the left. After about 130m the old road heads over a rise and then leads down between the metal bollards[3] to come to an intersection in a large clearing beside a row large gun timber brackets (bases)[4], marked with a ‘Middle Head’ sign[5]

(1.82km) Old Fort Road gun brackets → Middle Head Fort

50 m

1 mins

1m

0m

Easy track

Continue straight: From beside the row of large gun timber brackets (bases)[6], this walk heads downhill for 50m along the wide gravely trail[7] towards the water to come the large network of concrete and sandstone forts and gun emplacements[8][9][10]. The area can be explored, taking care of cliff edges and large potential falls into the fortifications.

Outer Middle Head Battery

The Outer Middle Head Battery is the main complex in the Middle Head Fortifications. Work for building the fortifications started in 1801 and the last batteries were constructed in 1942, with the majority of the work being done 1870 and 1911 . There is a network of tunnels and rooms underground that was build to support the gunning placements to protect Sydney Harbour from enemy invasion. There are formal tours available or you can take care and explore the area yourself.

(1.87km) Middle Head Fort → Old Fort Road gun brackets

50 m

1 mins

0m

-1m

Easy track

Turn around: From the Middle Head Fort complex, this walk heads gently uphill away from the concrete and sandstone forts and gun emplacements[12][13][14] along the wide gravel trail[15] for about 50m to come to an intersection in a large clearing beside a row large gun timber brackets (bases)[16], marked with a ‘Middle Head’ sign[17].

Moderate track

Veer right: From the intersection, this walk heads away from the built-up forts and road, to cross the clearing to the signposted ‘Inner Middle Head Forts’. The track follows the arrow on this sign for approximately 200m through the bush to a sunken concrete fort on the right.Turn left: From the southern fort (surrounded by bush), this walk winds right, away from the fort keeping the sea on the right of the track. The track quickly leads to an intersection near the fort at the sea cliff.

(2.16km) Inner Forts intersection → Disappearing Gun Pit North

70 m

2 mins

0m

-18m

Moderate track

Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads along the clear dirt track[18] towards the distant water view between two long sandstone trenches[19]. After 60m this walk heads across the grassy section[20] to come to the top edge of the northern Disappearing Gun Pit

[21][22] beside the ocean cliffs[23]. Take extra care as the ground slopes towards the gun pit and cliff edges – stay 2 body lengths back from any significant drop. At the end of this side trip, retrace your steps back to the main walk then Continue straight.

(2.16km) Inner Forts intersection → Behind Officers Quarters

210 m

4 mins

1m

-11m

Moderate track

Turn left: From the intersection, this walk heads directly away from the water views and sandstone forts, along a mostly flat but clear dirt track for about 90m to pass the sign pointing back to ‘Inner Middle Head Forts’[24]. About 10m after this sign the walk comes to an intersection beside a white metal pole fence[25] and the sealed Governors Rd[26].Turn sharp right: From the intersection, this walk heads down the grass hill beside the old house, keeping the house on the left. The track then turns left and down the hill with the fence, to continue along the fenceline. Near the end of the fence, the track turns right, down the hill and comes to a management trail.

[27] in places over the next 220m where the trail mostly flattens out[28] and bends sharply right. After this bend, the trail continues to lead more gently downhill for another 50m to come to an open grassy area signposted as ‘Cobblers Beach’[29]. Access to the sand is down a few uneven stone steps

.Turn around: From the middle of Cobblers Beach, the walk follows the track up the hill, with the beach on the right of the track. The track steeply climbs up the hill to the white picket fence of Middle Head Oval. The track turns left, following the fence to the gate and ‘Middle Head’ sign. Now Veer right to rejoin the main walk .

Cobblers Beach

Cobblers Beach[30] is a small pretty and clothing optional beach on the northern edge of Middle Head in Sdynday Harbour NP. From the beach, you can see across the water to Grotto Point and Balmoral Beach in the distance. The small sandy beach is about 80m long and about 10m wide depending on the tide. There are rocks along the shorline[32]. Wearing clothing is optional on the sandy beach area however clothing is required to be worn in the surrounding bushland and on the grassed area directly behind the beach.

Moderate track

Turn left: From the intersection, this walk heads uphill along the wide gravel trail. After about 20m the trail narrows for about 5m (to 90cm) to pass a pile of spoil[34] then continues up for another 110m coming to a grassy area beside the ‘Sydney Harbour National Park’ sign[35], with an arrow point back down ‘Cobblers Beach Road’.

(2.5km) Cobblers Beach Trail Top → Middle Head Oval NE Gate

160 m

6 mins

11m

-26m

Moderate track

Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads along the line of the cyclone fence, on the left, for approximately 150m to the gate in the white picket fence of Middle Head Oval, near the ‘Middle Head’ sign.

(2.66km) Middle Head Oval NE Gate → Middle Head Oval SW Gate

140 m

4 mins

25m

-6m

Easy track

Turn left: From the gate, this walk heads across the oval to the far side, next to the baseball nets.

Moderate track

Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads up the hill of Middle Head Rd. The walk continues up the road for some time to a signposted intersection near speed bumps and rock sculptures to the left.

Hard track

Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the sign to ‘Balmoral Beach’ downhill away from the road. The walk heads down many flights of stairs and turns right, through a fence. The track then turns left to continue down more stairs, which lead the walk across a bridge and next to an oval with a signposted intersection.Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads toward the sea, keeping the oval to your left. The walk passes ‘1st Balmoral Sea Scouts’ on the right before coming to the car park.

Maps for the Balmoral to Middle Head Forts walk

You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.

Cross sectional view of the Balmoral to Middle Head Forts bushwalking track

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Balmoral to Middle Head Forts

Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001

Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.

Length

3.9 km

Time

2 hrs

.

Grade 4/6

Hard track

AS 2156.1

Gradient

Very steep (4/6)

Quality of track

Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)

Signs

Directional signs along the way (3/6)

Experience Required

No experience required (1/6)

Weather

Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Infrastructure

Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)

Some more details of this walks Grading

Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk

Gradient

2.5km of this walk has gentle hills with occasional steps and another 750m is very steep. Whilst another 550m is flat with no steps and the remaining 100m has short steep hills.

Quality of track

2.2km of this walk follows a smooth and hardened path and another 1.2km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles. The remaining (490m) follows a clear and well formed track or trail.

Signs

Around 2.3km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection, whilst the remaining 1.6km is clearly signposted.

Experience Required

This whole walk, 3.9km requires no previous bushwalking experience.

weather

This whole walk, 3.9km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).

Infrastructure

Around 3.4km of this walk is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats), whilst the remaining 520m has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).

Similar walks

A list of walks that share part of the track with the Balmoral to Middle Head Forts walk.

Fire Danger

http://new.wildwalks.com/wildwalks_custom/includes/walk_fire_danger.php?walkid=nsw-shnp-btmhf
Each park may have its own fire ban, this rating is only valid for today and is based on information from the RFS Please check the RFS Website for more information.

Weather Forest

This walk starts in the Metropolitan weather district always check the formal BOM forecast or pdf before starting your walk.
http://new.wildwalks.com/wildwalks_custom/includes/walk_weather_danger.php?walkid=nsw-shnp-btmhf
Forecast snapshot